Vegetarian Recipes - Mixed Vegetables Monk-style Recipe

Ingredients

• 50g/2 oz dried tofu sticks

• 115g/4oz fresh lotus root, peeled and sliced

• 10g/1/4ox dried cloud ear (wood ear) mushrooms

• 8 dried Chinese mushrooms

• 15ml/1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 75g/3oz/3/4 cup drained, canned straw mushrooms

• 115g/4oz/1 cup baby corn cobs, cut in half

• 30ml/2 tbsp light soy sauce

• 15ml/1 tbsp sake or dry sherry

• 10ml/2 tsp sugar

• 150ml/2/3 cup vegetable stock

• 75g/3oz/3/4 cup mangetouts (snow peas)

• 5ml/1 tsp corn flour (cornstarch)

• 15ml/1 tbsp cold water

• salt

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Put the tofu sticks in a bowl. Cover them with hot water and leave to soak for 1 hour. The wood ears and dried Chinese mushrooms should be soaked in separate bowls of hot water for 20 minutes.

2. Drain the wood ears, trim off and discard the hard base from each and cut the rest into bite size pieces.

3. Drain the mushrooms. trim off and discard the stems and slice the caps. Drain the tofu sticks. Cut them into 5cm/2in long pieces. discarding any hard pieces.

4. Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the wood ears, Chinese mushrooms and lotus root for about 30 seconds. Add the tofu, straw mushrooms, baby corn cobs, soy sauce, sherry, sugar and stock. Boil, then simmer; covered for 20 minutes.

5. Trim the mangetouts and cut them in half. Add to the vegetable mixture, with salt to taste, and cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes more.

6. Mix the corn flour to a paste with the water and add to the wok. Cook, stirring. until the sauce thickens. Serve immediately.

Note: Chinese monks eat neither meat nor fish, so "Monk­style" dishes are fine for vegetarians.